MIDI Files and Copyrights

[arcaxis]

I do wedding photography part time and lately I've been presenting the bride and groom with a "digital" slide show in VCD or SVCD format. The software I'm using has the ability to add a WAV or MP3 music track along with the slide show. I also have software that can convert MIDI files to a WAV format via a software synth. The reason for using MIDI files is that there is alot out there to choose from and they can be edited easily to fit the slide show.

I'm wondering about potential copyright infringement using freely available MIDI files that I have downloaded and using it strictly to enhance a visual presentation. The gamut of music styles could range from traditional wedding music, classical, movie theme, or contemporary love songs. Some of these genres I suspect to be public domain, the others I don't know.

[Rock Star 87]

i don't think that should be a problem, and for this reason. when u copyright something, it copyrights the sound recording, not the notes. u can copyright that, but i doubt most labels go to the trouble. that's just what i think.

[bemo]

Originally Posted by Rock Star 87

i don't think that should be a problem, and for this reason. when u copyright something, it copyrights the sound recording, not the notes. u can copyright that, but i doubt most labels go to the trouble. that's just what i think.

I don't think that is right. Otherwise how could you hold the copyright to a song that had not been recorded? The label owns the copyright to the recording itself but the publisher/composer (depending on who the legalities are set up in advance) owns the copyright to the actual song (that is the melody, lyrics and progression as a whole, single entity, otherwise Robert Johnson would own the copyright to every twelve-bar blues song ever written.)

[BentRabbit]

Originally Posted by Rock Star 87

i don't think that should be a problem, and for this reason. when u copyright something, it copyrights the sound recording, not the notes. u can copyright that, but i doubt most labels go to the trouble. that's just what i think.

You write it, you record it, you own it... THAT'S your copyright.
How you register your copyright is where the choices come in...

You can register the notes only, or the recording AND the underlying works.

But don't mistake sending the form with your $30 fee as 'copyrighting'. That's just 'registering'. Copyright of original works occurs as soon as the works are put into tangible form... Including MIDI recordings.

So if you're going to use someone else's works, make sure it's OK with the author first.

How would you feel if all of a sudden you saw someone selling one of your digital slideshows as theirs?

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/

Hope this helps